Immigrant Visas

How to Begin the Immigrant Visa Process

What is an immigrant visa?

Simply put, an immigrant visa allows you to travel to the United States
to live, work, and establish a permanent residence. There are many U.S.
government agencies that work on an immigrant visa application. U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will receive and approve the
initial petition. The Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy Consular
Section, will interview the applicant and issue the visa that permits travel to
the United States. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes the final decision
to admit you as a legal permanent resident (LPR) when you reach the
port-of-entry to the United States. USCIS will receive your application and
issue your “green card” after you arrive and establish residence. Read more
about immigrant visas at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate.html.

What are the basic paths that lead to an immigrant visa?

There are three basic methods for obtaining an immigrant visa. Most
Dominicans obtain their immigrant visa through a family
relationship with a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR. Some workers are able to immigrate to
the United States because an employer
has filed an immigration petition for them. The Diversity
Visa is a lottery that provides visas for citizens of countries with low
rates of immigration to the United States. Dominican citizens are not eligible
for the Diversity Visa lottery.